Device for controlling electric circuits



Aug. 17, 1926. 1,596,007

H. K. ELLIOTT DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING ELECTRIC CIRCUITS Filed Jan. 13. 1923 Elttoz y Patented Aug. 17, 1926.

UNITED STATES HAROLD K. ELLIOTT, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

Application filed January 13, 1923.

This invention relates to devices for controlling a plurality of electric light circuits, which may be either separate or branch circuits having translating devices, such as incandescent lamps and switches therefor,

and more particularly to sna mechanism, constituting as a who e a master switch adapted to be connected into an electric light circuit in a manner to bridge all of the light controlling switches therein, so that all the lights in the several branch circuits may be simultaneously instantly energized, irres motive of the switches.

An object of the invention is the provision of a multiple circuit controlling device of the snap switch type, constructed in a manner to divide the circuit making and breaking instrumentalities, respectively, of a plurality of incandescent lamp branch circuits into groups to thereby enable the provision of separate fuse protection for each group, novel snap mechanism being provided whereby all of the branch circuits may be simultaneously instantly broken by the manipulation of a single switch lever.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a multiple circuit controlling device which is simple in construction and compact in form, and embodies certain novel constructive features'whereby a single manually operated switch lever is adapted to loosely engage an independently resiliently mounted contact plate in a manner to instantly simultaneously close all of the circuits, and whereby the initial portion of a releasing movement of said lever will set in operation certain snap mechanism for instantly breaking all the circuits.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointd out as this specification progresses, the invention consisting in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and specifically claimed.

'In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification:

Figure 1, is a perspective view of a circuit controlling device embodying my in-.

vention in part, parts thereof not being shown.

Figure 2, is a plan view of the invention, parts thereof being shown broken away.

Figure 3, is'a sectional view on line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 1, is a perspective view of one of the spring contacts. 7

switch Serial No. 612,516.

Figure 5, is a. vertical side view of the switch lever and snap mechanism; and

Figure 6, is a perspective view of the cam member forming part of the snap mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a base, here shown of insulating material, and 2 designates posts, one for each corner of the base, each being loosely surrounded by a spiral compression spring 3. Spaced vertically from the base is the movable fol- .lower or supporting late 4, having openings 5, through whici loosely extend the posts 2, the plate being resiliently supported by the springs 3, the latter being designed to hold the plate approximately in parallelism with the base. The plate is preferably made of insulating material and carries on its under side the conducting plates 6, 7, and 8, made of conducting material. Directly under each of the conducting plates and adapted to contact therewith, are the spring contacts 8' secured to the base and constituting a group. Each of the contacts as here shown comprises a Z-shaped spring blade formed at the top with a contact face 9 and adjacent the base with a connecting screw 10, each spring contact being suitably secured to the base as by means of the screw 11. As here shown, each of the groups comprise five spring contacts, it being understood that any number may be employed.

Associated with the groups of spring contacts, one for each group, and being similarly secured to the base, are the preferably Z-shaped special spring contacts 12, 13, and 14, which in turn have electrical connection as by means of the conducting screws 14 (Figure 3) with the conductors 15, 16, and 17, respectively, said conductors having connection. respectively with the binding posts 18, 19, and 20. The conductors 15, 16, and 17 are preferably placed in channels cut in the under side of the base, as shown in Figure 3.

In the diagram at the top of Figure 2, are shown two incandescent lamp branch circuits fed from mains 21 and 22, one of the circuits being placed in connection with the group of spring contacts associated with the conducting plate 6, while the other 15 shown connected to a part of the group associated with the conducting plate The first branch circuit on the left co nvprises branch wires 23 and2ft, provided with,

fuses Lamps are connected in multiple between the branch wires, two of them beingprovided with single point swi ches 26, while the third is provided with three point switches 27.

The other circuit is placed in connection with three of the spring contacts 8 associated with the conducting plate 8 by means of the conductors 31, and 33, which conductors are placed in connection respectively with the switch loops 13 of the lamps 36 at a point located between the lamps and the switches to thereby bridge the latter out of circuit when the conductor plate 8 is brought into engagement with its associated sp 'ing contacts 8 and contactl l. The current will then flow from the conductor 16, to binding post 19, conductor ll, fuse 34, to main 21. When the conductor plate 8 is disengaged from the contacts, the current will flow from main 22, to fuse 3%, to lamps, to switches, to conductor e1, to main 21. Obviously, when the conductor plate is placed in circuit the current will flow from main 22 to fuse 34., branch wire 8:3, lamps, conductors 31, 32, and 33, spring contact 8, conductor plate 8, contact 14., conductor 16, post 19, conductor 41, fuse 31-, to main 21, thus energizing the lamps 36 irrespective of the switches 37.

The normal flow of current in the first branch circuit may be described as follows: From main 22 to fuse 3i, branch wire 23, lamps switches, branch wire 2%, fuse 34: to main 21. When, however, the conducting plate 6 brought into engagement with its associated spr' .g contacts 8 and contact 12, the current will flow from main 22, to fuse 3i, lamps 2-5, conductors 28, 29, and 30, spring contacts 8, plate 6, contact 12, conductor 1?, binding post 20, conductor l2, conductor 2d, fuse to main 21. As the conductors 29, and are connected to the switch loops 26 between the lamps 25 and the switches 26, the latter are also bridged out of circuit sinniltaneously with the aforesaid switches 37.

Thus, I control two incandescent lamp branch circuits.

F or the purpose of depressing tl e plate 4-, the following mechanism provided: Suitably secured on the base, midway between the sides thereof and extending across the plate at, is the support ll, the latter being formed of a pair of uprights and horizontally spaced side rails l6 supported on said uprights and arranged parallel with the top of the base, said rails supporting intermediate their ends the horizontally disposed pivot pin l7. Fulcrumed on said pin is an angular or L-shaped le er 48, carrying at its free end the antifriction roller 49. Swingable on said pivot pin between said side rails is a cam member 50, the latter being formed with two parallel side walls 51, one on either side of said lever, and a wall connecting said side walls and adapted to engage with said lever at a point above its fulcrum. said cam extending slightly above the top edge of the side rails 46. The cam member is formed at its lower extremity with a straight lower edge 53, merging into a rounded corner or camming edge 58, the straight edge being designed to he brought into vertical alinement with the pivot pin 1. and into parallelism (responsive to a rotary movement around the pivot pin with the top of the plate t to ongo therewith to press the former in opposition to the springs 3, a ainst all the spring contacts mentioned in the foregoing. The length of the cam from its pivot f? to its edge is such as to compress the spring contacts, indicated by dotted lines in Figure l of the drawings, I

thus assuring a firm electrical contact with the connecting plates 6, 7, and S.

For the purpose of avoiding abrasion of the plate d, the friction plate 5st is provided, the latter having a vertical flange member to serve as a stop for the cam member when the latter is in vertical position. The flange is cut away at 56 to alford clearance for the roller 49. The roller is mounted on the lever 4-8 in a manner to extend slightly outwardly beyond the edge 53 of the cam, as indicated by the space 56 (Figure 5). Thus, when the lever is swung to bring the roller into contact with the plate 54;, the cam will be diseng..-.gcd from the latter and the llDWtlitl pressure of he plate 4- trans ferred to the lever, the roller being brought into vertical alincment with the fulcrum ll, or, in other words, on dead center, so that the lower arm of the lever will form a strut to hold the plate i in contacting relation with the spring contacts.

In operation, the circuits are closed by simply actuating the lever 48, as described in the foregoing, to bring the the roller in vertical alinement with the pivot d7, the wall 52 of the cam serving as a stop, as at 57 for the arm of the lever which carries the roller, to hold it in vertical position. lVhen it is desired to place the circuits under control of their regular switches, the lever 48 is swung upwardly until the cam edge 53 contacts with the plate 54 and the roller is disengaged from the latter, as is indicated by fine dotted lines in Figure 5. The handle end of the lever now rests against the top edge of the wall 52 of the cam (indicated by solid lines) so that a further rotary movement of the lever will carry the cam with it until it assumes the position indicated by the heavy dotted lines. at which posi tion the cam will automatically be forced upwardly in a snap movement by the pressure of the springs 3, inasmuch as the cam has been moved out of vertical alinement with simultaneously ill) the pivot 47 to a sufficient extent to cause it to yield suddenly to the upward pressure of the plate 4. This will effect a snap movement of the plate 4 irrespective of the subsequent movement of the lever and result in instantaneously simultaneouslybreaking the circuits.

I claim:

1. In a controlling mechanism for electrical circuits, a base member, a resiliently supported second member opposed thereto, electrically conductive contact members connected to the base member and said second member, respectively, depressive means for causing a relative movement of said second member to the base member to unite the contact members, locking means pivotally connected to the depressive means for pivotally retaining the parts in such position after removal of the depressive means, means for moving the locking means after removal of the depressive means to suddenly release said second member, and resilient means for moving said second member to separate the electric contact members.

2. In a controlling mechanism for electrical circuits, a base member, a resiliently supported second member opposed thereto and normally held separated from the base, opposed electrically conductive contact members connected to said base member and said second member, a handle support stationary with respect to the base, a handle pivotally connected thereto, friction reducing means actuated b the handle to relatively move said secon member with respect e to the base to cause a union of the-opposed contact members, a pivotally mounted locking device carried by the handle sup ort to maintain union of the contact mem ers independently of the friction reducing means, means to actuate the locking device simultaneously with the depressive means, and means whereby a reverse rotation of the handle first removes the friction reducing means from said second member and then unlocks the locking device to suddenly release the second member and separate the contact members.

3. In a controlling mechanism for elecseparated from the base, opposed electrically fli' conductive contact members connected to the base and to the movable plate, respectively, a handle pivotally mounted on the bridging member, friction reducing compressive means actuated by the handle to relatively move the plate with respect to the base to unite the opposed electrical contact members, a pivoted locking device located on the bridging member and actuated by movement of the handle to hold the plate and base in a position to maintain a union of the contact members after depression of the plate by the friction reducing compressive means, and means actuated by a reverse rotation of the handle to first remove the friction reducing compressive means from the movable plate and then to unlock the locking device by rotating it about its pivot to suddenly release the movable plate and separate the opposed electrical contacts.

4. In a controlling mechanism for electrical circuits, a base, a bridging member stationary as to the base, a movable plate resiliently supported between the base and the bridging member and normally held separated from the base, opposed electrically conductive contact members connected to the base and movable plate, respectively, a handle pivotally mounted on the bridging member, a bell crank lever actuated by the handle to depress the movable plate and unite the opposed contact members, means connected to the bell crank lever to reduce friction between the bell crank lever and the plate, a locking lug pivotally mounted on the bridging member to engage the plate after depression thereof by the bell crank lever, and means actuated by a reverse move ment of the handle to first rotate the bell crank lever out of contact With the movable plate and to then disengage the locking lug to suddenly release the plate and separate the electrical contacts.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

' HAROLD K. ELLIOTT. 

